Striving for the life more abundant

Menu

Monthly Archives: March 2013

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Easter traditions. As with many things, it is much easier to talk ( and pin on pinterest.com) than to actually do! We started off our Easter celebration with Shrove Tuesday pancakes which was appreciated by all especially boys who like fun breakfasts. Then, I attended my first Ash Wednesday service (and got my forehead ash). My thing to give up for Lent was chocolate. Well, that proved to be a bit of a failure. I did really well for about a week and a half. Then, Holden got a mild case of the stomach flu, and the Mr. and I got a BIG case of it. After coming out the illness fog, I stumbled into the kitchen and inhaled a KitKat bar which technically was Jake’s Valentine’s present. I thought that getting over the worse stomach illness I’ve had since 2nd grade was reason enough to steal his chocolate and break my Lenten sacrifice. So…Lent sacrificing was a fail. Easter egg dying was not! Small victories I guess.

Jake was the head project manager in this operation, but I did make sure to tell him that next year H would be the go-to guy. We also added a little copper-ish bunny to the Easter decor along with my sparkly pink egg door decoration. Holdie and I have read the Easter story book that I got him last year. He sat pretty still for it yesterday. Little did I know that he was cooking up an ear infection that will be traveling off to the doctor’s to deal with tomorrow. He doesn’t look to sick, does he?

drooly baby boy

A new recent development are the weekend fun breakfast-es around these parts. We are so rushed during the work week that it’s really nice to sit down for a yummy breakfast on the weekends. Selections have been pancakes, french toast, berry french toast casserole, and hot cross buns. I did the buns this Palm Sunday morning following the idiot proof recipe from here. I’m not a baker by nature, so these require no punching of the dough or active yeast or other scary baking terms. They turned out to be quite delish and will definitely make another appearance.

filled with yummy raisins and cinnamon and the ever popular honey!

I do confess that I’m most excited about the actual Easter weekend. Holdie is going to have his first Easter egg hunts at my parents. Due to swimming lessons and our sometimes gypsy lifestyle of weekend travel, we’ve missed out on a real egg hunt. There is also an Easter basket to fill with treats, new duds, and a special surprise for another “good egg” I know.

This snowy weather we are having is really causing this spring and summer loving gal to struggle with some mild seasonal affective disorder.

The cold makes me want to curl up with carbs which is definitely not a good thing for me or the box of Cheerios that are supposed to be H’s! Today, I definitely ended up munching a few handfuls but check myself before completing wrecking myself. I made a little slightly sweet hot chocolate (3/4 cup milk, sprinkle of cinnamon, tablespoon of honey, and hefty shake of cocoa powder). I put that on to simmer while jumping in the shower and taking a hot, hot, hot one. This alone time was provided by Holden’s nap which typically ends about 4. Therefore, I resisted the mom guilt drove straight home from work to get to business aka warming up my freezing self! I’m well aware that a good work-out is also the ticket to warm up, but I did quite a number on myself yesterday with a 20 MINUTE work-out.

I’ve always been one to hold myself to 30 min. moderate cardio and 30 min. weight lifting at the gym. It must be at the gym. Since Baby H arrived, I have been more flexible with the location but still the cardio/weight requirements remain the same. Well, I got tied up at an interesting work meeting yesterday which could potentially REALLY shake up my J.O.B. for next year in a mostly good way. But nonetheless I missed out going to the gym due to H’s nap time crunch. I got home and had about 25 minutes to do something, so high intensity interval training here we go! I did minute increments of different cardio activities. I did high knees, butt kickers, jumping jacks, squatting punches, hop/pop squats, pseudo-jump rope, and twist and shout (literally hopping around twisting my hips looking quite a bit like a first grader I’m sure). Well after back to back 1 minute activities (which I realize is not exactly HIIT), I was soaked in sweat, sore, and ready to quit! That brings up to today. I am sore. Let me say that again. I am sore. Who knew this would be such a good work-out?!?!?! I know I’ve read numerous good things about it, but my 30 minute gym-going head wouldn’t let me believe it! If you’re ever in need of a good, quick and dirty work-out, google it on up. It is intense for sure, but seriously…20 minutes and done is pretty amazing! A soreness! I’m impressed. Not a convert but I won’t hesitate to use it again when I get pushed for time. Today was not that day. Today was a day for long-johns, hot beverages, and baby cuddles. Happy sort-of Spring!

Richard Holden Leatherbury is officially a one year old big boy now! Looking back to how I was feeling last year this time, it kind of makes me want to cry for my old self or at least take myself out for a coffee/adult beverage! I’ve learned so much this past year, and I know he will continue to be my biggest teacher. Some important lessons that Mr. Leatherbury has provided include (but are certainly not limited to)…

1. I am by far second fiddle in the everyday logistics of life. No longer do I have oodles of time to peruse the internet at leisure or plan complicated lessons that require lots of prep work at school. Me and my interests still remain, but they are far outweighed by the basic needs of food, clean diapers, and getting everyone on a consistent sleep schedule. Man cannot live by bread along…sleep is right up there!

2. I am much more capable than I give myself credit for. Capable of figuring out this crazy first year that includes breastfeeding, playing with an itty bitty bambino that can mostly just stare, maintaining and growing a relationship with the Mr., juggling work and family life, carving out time to work out and cook/eat healthy, and accepting that I can’t control every.last.thing.

3. I’m more patient than I realized. This is self-explanatory. Not that I haven’t had my moments for sure. 5 time-outs during dinner is normal, right?

4. Poopy baby clothes should be dealt with immediately with the help of old Mr. OxyClean!

5. Sam’s diapers work just fine for baby’s behind. I had cloth diaper dreams, but they lead into the next lesson…

6. Sometimes good enough is just good enough. I wanted to be a “green” mommy who focused on doing things naturally. Well, the birth was natural. Breastfeeding was natural. I made my own baby food until H was about 9 months from mostly organic produce. Then, there comes a time when you realize you have 59, 874,127 things to do before you go to bed to then start all over the next day. Therefore, you do what you can do.

7. Prioritize! My priorities from my ideals include healthy foods (organic or not), sleep/wake schedule, breastfeeding, and books daily. I had to let go my totally organic dreams, cloth diapers, sleeping in the room for months (last like 3 nights then off to big boy crib you go you little noisy sleeper!), and all wooden/stimulating/educational toys. He really prefers the curling iron or a water bottle these days!

8. The Mr. is my biggest supporter and ally in this parenting racket. He has by far been supportive of my decisions even when I try to phrase them as “our” decisions. He has encouraged me, kept the baby for me to hit the gym as soon as I was cleared to do so (or maybe a little early for mental health reasons!), gotten up and given bottles in the middle of the night when the little stinker wouldn’t nurse early on, and basically kept me from thinking of myself as a frumpy mommy. This was especially key in those early months when I was actually a very emotional frumpy mommy. I love him for many reasons, but the father and husband he has become is right up there!

9. Do what you can, when you can! I’m not a person to nap, so I get busy when Holden naps. As in busy with whatever is on my mind/to-do list, I organize, research, and even sometimes sneak in a little Instagram and facebooking. Got to take advantage of the time when you can.

Well, spring break is officially 3 weeks and 4 school days away. As my principal shared at our faculty meeting today, March feels like we’re marching, marching, marching somewhere?? I know for me it is a time of anticipation. Anticipating warmer weather, longer days, Easter fun, pastels and painted toenails (yes, mine are creepily bare right now). Things we have going on in March to keep us busy include a certain baby boy’s birthday on March 7th, a fun family birthday party to follow, St. Patrick’s meal/beer tasting at casa de Leatherburys (oh the things I plan and then later think to tell the Mr.), plus a zoo trip that MUST happen since I have a groupon that goes out at the end of the month, and lots of fun Easter traditions to start this year with Holden.

I think what I’m most confused about this March is this wording…

Why on Earth are these called jelly bird eggs?!?!? What happened to good old-fashioned jelly beans?!?! I’m eating large amounts of them just to make sure they really taste like jelly beans! 😉

Next on the list of weird is all the Easter egg dye! While killing time at Target waiting on a Rx for Holden (again!), I was checking out the egg dye. Looking for a totally plain egg dye kit that did not exist. All I could find involved adding fuzzy, stickers, glitters, designs, etc. Craziness! I just want plain eggs which apparently can be done with food coloring?

One of the super-charged egg dye kits!

Is it just me or is simplicity out the window sometimes? I admit that it is sometimes my fault with the over-complicating of life. I googled right up “how to dye Easter eggs” and got a lovely little how-to from, of course, Real Simple mag. And it looks…real simple to do! Here it is. Then, we can’t forget about hot cross buns for Good Friday. I’ve tried these before, and they turned out not so hot. Not the same recipe, but honestly anything that requires yeast or punching/rising intimidates the heck out of me. Panera’s version may be the best bet!

Sweet delicious with adorable little sugary crosses

All these seemingly mundane things boil down to traditions. Food is not just something to stuff our faces with or satisfy our energy demands. Decor is just not something else to dust around. Traditions are what make us human and what makes life special. I’m not talking a particular style (like tradition v. modern, bohemian v. preppy). I’m talking about the little things you do to make life more special for you and your family. It may be as simple as planting a few bulbs around the front door (not me ha!) or serving pancakes with sprinkles every Saturday morning. Maybe you like to write little message on your kitchen chalkboard/dry erase board to countdown to some special event. Perhaps you mark special days candles at dinner. Whatever you do makes life more meaningful. I think about this even more now that I have Holden. Every day is new to him. I have the opportunity to show him life and how to live it at every turn. I want him to know me as a mom who celebrated and was thankful for whatever she had. A tradition that I want to pass on. On this topic, Barbara Curtis from Mommylife.net wrote…

“We needed traditions.

Traditions – especially those children can see, hear, feel, smell and taste – provide vivid impressions on which parents can build year after year.”

She continued on to list several fun and important Easter traditions to incorporate into your family life. Barbara passed away recently, but she shared so much through her website. You should really check her out.